Word family noun minimum minimalism minimalist adjective minimal minimum minimalist verb minimize adverb minimally minimum
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishminimummin‧i‧mum1 /ˈmɪnəməm/ ●●● S3 W2 AWL adjective [only before noun] LEASTthe minimum number, degree, or amount of something is the smallest or least that is possible, allowed, or needed OPP maximum The minimum number of students we need to run the course is fifteen. The minimum age for retirement is 55. —minimum adverb You’ll need two tons of cement, minimum.Examples from the Corpus
minimum• The minimum age to buy cigarettes is 18.• But it is not merely the minimum content of natural law which supports such a view.• This is the minimum daily amount of a nutrient required by an adult to prevent symptoms of deficiency.• The governor is proposing the minimum increase for schools required by Proposition 98.• The minimum order is five hundred business cards.• It will lay down minimum terms for a new manufacturer's guarantees.• Overall both Namurian and Visean gradients are comparable with that for the Westphalian minimum uplift composite trend.• The local shop paid Mino the legal minimum wage, but worked him twice the legal number of hours.• What is the minimum wage these days?• He will call for a higher minimum wage.• So one perennial idea getting a second wind is the campaign to raise the pitifully low current minimum wage.minimumminimum2 ●●● S3 W2 AWL noun [singular] 1 LEASTthe smallest amount of something or number of things that is possible or necessary OPP maximuma minimum of two hours/£1,000 etc The judge recommended that he should serve a minimum of 12 years.minimum of He achieved enviable results with the minimum of effort.absolute/bare minimum (=the very least amount or number) Prison inmates are kept in tiny cells, with the bare minimum of furniture.keep/reduce something to a minimum She had reduced her consumption of fat and sugar to an absolute minimum.2 → at a/the minimumCOLLOCATIONSverbshave a minimum of somethingCandidates should have a minimum of five years’ work experience.keep something to a minimum (=to keep something at a low level)Keep the noise to a minimum, will you?reduce something to a minimum (=make something less, so it is at a low level)We want to reduce the environmental impact to a minimum.need a minimum of something (also require a minimum of something formal)We’ll need a minimum of two days to get this ready.adjectivesan absolute/bare minimum (=the very least amount)He paid in five pounds, the bare minimum needed to keep the bank account open.the legal/statutory minimum (=the least amount the law says you must have)The wage was often well below the legal minimum.the required/necessary minimum (=the least amount that you must have)He received 35 votes, two more than the required minimum.phraseswith a minimum of fuss (=with very little anxious behaviour or activity)They checked our passports with the minimum of fuss.with a minimum of effort (=with very little effort)The house could be restored with a minimum of effort. Examples from the Corpus
minimum• Employees do a minimum of hand-machining work and instead spend most of their time assembling pre-cut pieces.• You have to stay for a minimum of 7 days.• A player must serve a minimum of 12 consecutive months before becoming a full member.• Let's try to keep irrelevant comments to a minimum.• This time the concept was approved and details worked out with a minimum of controversy.• These structures need to be erected and dismantled quickly with a minimum of disturbance whilst encountering many difficult locations.• A minimum of £60,000 would be needed to cover fees for two children attending public school from age nine to 18.• The hospital has reduced staffing to an absolute minimum.• Maximum of 10 students per group and minimum of 4.• For Lloyd's sales however, the minimum is £150,000.• He usually just pays the minimum each month on his credit cards.keep/reduce something to a minimum• Development in the hills has been kept to a minimum.• The colour co-ordinated hotplate has been designed to keep cleaning to a minimum.• Surely the Government have a responsibility to investigate mechanisms to reduce failures to a minimum.• We ask the media to keep reporting to a minimum.• Their adoption is, however, a matter of choice, in line with Council strategy to keep regulation to a minimum.• We said we would keep publicity to a minimum.• Finance is usually the first issue which needs consideration: How do you keep tax to a minimum?• We suggest that you keep these to a minimum.From Longman Business Dictionaryminimummin‧i‧mum1 /ˈmɪnəməm/ adjective [only before a noun] the smallest or least that is possible, allowed, or neededMinimum investment in each fund is £2000.There is a minimum charge of £30.The minimum requirements for the job are a degree and a teaching qualification. → compare maximum1minimumminimum2 written abbreviation min noun [singular]1the smallest amount or number of something that is possible, allowed, or neededminimum ofApplicants should have a minimum of five years’ professional experience.The company needed to raise a minimum of £150 million in new equity.2keep/reduce something to a minimum to limit something to the smallest amount or degree possibleIt is essential that we keep costs to a minimum.Risks must be reduced to the absolute minimum.Origin minimum2 (1600-1700) Latin minimus “smallest” 